Diary 1938 - He aged 16/17

This is the year he started work full time - First at Commercial Union Assce Co., and then Union Castle Mail SS Co.

The family moved to another home in Tamboers Kloof during this year.

In the beginning of the diary there is a list of dates and how far he drove with a running total of miles driven to date.

This diary has rubber stamped on each date WEATHER, VISITORS, POST (sent and received), SHIPS IN, SHIPS OUT.

Details for every day. All entries neatly written with a fined nibbed, blue inked fountain pen.

In each diary there is a selection of his signatures - I remember "trying out" my signature 'till I found the one that felt right and then it stayed fairly constant. His handwriting also is sometimes straight up and sometimes slanted. I only ever knew his handwriting to be slanted - this earlier handwriting is interesting to see.

On some of the days next to the date, with no pattern that makes sense to me, is a little circle with a dot in the middle of it. eg: January - Sat 1st, Monday 3rd, Friday 7th, Sunday 9th, Wednesday 12th, Friday 14th, Sunday 16th, Tuesday 18th, Thursday 20th, Sunday 23rd, Tuesday 25th, Thursday 27th, Sunday 30th. If anyone has any idea... please let me know?

At the end of the diary is a dated list of Books read, Bioscopes seen and Ping-Pong played, including scores. A more detailed list of income and expenditures in this diary than before.

Here are some of the entries (apart from the Weather, Visitors, Post Ships in and Ships out:

Tuesday 4th January
Wrote application to Commercial Union Assurance Company in evening.

Thursday 6th January
Went down to Commercial Union Assce Co in pm and saw Mr Boddy and Mr Arnold and was told to start on Monday 10th.

Friday 7th January
Paid rent and got my learners licence in am.
Fred, Mam and I went for a drive round Fish Hoek and Chapman's Peak in pm. Drove 42 miles. Called in at "Fairmead" on way.

Sunday 9th January
First Cape Argus comic coloured section.
Heard about comet on October 30th 1937 that nearly hit us.
Made shelf for car in am and put it in.
The Aldunes went for picnic to Stellenbosch with German sailors and v. Rynevelds.
We all went to the dock in pm and had dinner at Moullie Point.

Monday 10th January
STARTED WORK AT THE COMMERCIAL UNION ASSCE CO LTD.

Monday 17th January
Senior Certificate results in Cape Times. Saw that I passed 1st class.
Eric was supposed to come in Winchester.
Helped Mr Woodhead all day at work.

Tuesday 18th January
Mr Boddy away looking at wrecked houseboat on Palmiet River all day. Helped Mr Woodhead.

Wednesday 19th January
Helped Mr Woodhead all afternoon.
Mr Evans came and congratulated me in am.
Made board for ships etc. in evening.

Monday 24th January
Ma and I met Eric in Dunnotar Castle from Coast at 8am and brought him up.
Got this diary at Galvin and Sales in pm for 3/-
Eric went down town in pm and came home with me 5:30.
Mickey went to first Tech class in evening.
The family, Eric and Paul went to Muizenberg beach in evening and came back via de Waal drive.
Took night photo of town.
Drove 24 miles.

Tuesday 8th February
Got a new spool. 1/9
Made desk light in evening.
Probation officer phoned in am.
Constantia fire burnt down to Hout Bay and Dr Schaiff's house burnt.

Thursday 24th February
Union Castle Company phoned about job in am and I went in pm and am to start on April 1st. Talked to Mr Boddy about it.
Changed my room around in pm.
Pixie took Aunt Joyce down to post a letter in evening.
Got paid today. (His pay is in code - I can't work out the amount.)

Wednesday March 2nd
Mr Woodhead was away for his holiday.
Helped Mr Griffiths all day.
Pixie got me soap (in code 1/6d)
Fixed up my ships timing apparatus very accurately.
Ma and Aunt Joyce went to see "No Limit" at Alhambra in evening.
Pawnbroker was shot in town at noon - Long St.

Saturday March 5th
MY SATURDAY OFF
Went down town in am and Ma got wool and I met Pixie and went to be tested for my driving licence (Passed) went back to Paul's office brought electric train home. Played with it in evening.

Thursday March 10th
Started learning shorthand in evening.
Caught the 5:5pm bus in pm.
Row in the house (Quiet) (in code AJ)
Pawnbroker murderer caught.

Sunday March 13th
Took photos of train in am and played with it most of the day.
Paul and I walked down to cafe for cigs. and then Ma, Betty, Aunt Joyce and I went for walk along Ocean View Drive.
Row with His Lordship.

Monday March 21st
New driver and conductor on Springbok bus.
Apples arrived for Mickey.
First whalers from Antartica in.

Saturday March 26th
Paul came back from Port Elizabeth in pm.
Rigged up the train in my room in pm.

Sunday March 27th
Played with the train quite a lot.
Cleaned the car in am.
The family and Paul went to the docks in pm and then to "Fairmead" and dropped him.
Drove 19 miles.
Ma and I walked down to cafe in evening.

Thursday March 31st
Aunt Joyce moved out of our room in am to Aunt Ethel's.
Finished up at the Commercial Union and got testimonial from Mr Evans.

Friday April 1st
SE Gale all day.
STARTED WORK AT THE UNION CASTLE MAIL SS Co.
Paul came to supper and then he and Pixie went to see "The Perfect Specimen" in evening. Paul slept night.

Monday April 4th
Betty hired "royal" typewriter from work and Ma and I drove down in pm and fetched it.
She also got ink and inked my pad.
Practiced typing in evening.

Tuesday April 26th
Got paid today (in code 9 pounds 7/-)

Thursday April 28th
Did a lot of typing.
Pixie and Ma went to see Colin off for Pietermaritzburg at 9pm.

Tuesday 17th May
(in code - Bad luck all afternoon)

Friday May 27th
Got paid today and cashed my cheque (in code 9 pounds 7/-)
Tried to get Nautical magazine ticket books.

Saturday May 28th
Carved bows of model ship in pm.
Betty worked all pm.

Friday June 24th
Polliack's man came in am.
Pilot man came in pm and left wireless for us to try.
Pixie got me some new soap.
Got a book out of library at work.

Monday June 27th
They took away the HMV away in pm.
Worked late on commissions in evening and had dinner at work.
Got paid (in code 9 pounds 3/6)

Tuesday July 12th
Hamilton went up the mountain in am.
Ma went to see Hamilton off on Dunnotar (ship) in pm.
Listened to 26th and last episode of The Three Musketeers on wireless in evening.

Thursday July 14th
Stayed to lunch at work and played table tennis. Beat Campbell. Earp beat me.
Ma went to Mrs Bells in pm.
Listened to broadcast from America of round-the-world flyers 2.37pm = 8.37pm NY.
Hughes 3 3/4 days around world.

Wednesday July 27th
"Dominican Monarch" launched in pm
Got paid today (in code 8 pounds 19/6)

Thursday July 28th
Stayed to lunch at work and played table tennis. Beat Leslie 2. Lost to C Smith 2.
Played Mr Bailey after work and won 21 - 18 (8)
Lost to Hunter and Haupt (1) Beat Haupt, Rowan and Stock.
Ma finished my grey pair of socks.

Saturday July 30th
Bought a bottle of Watermans Royal Blue Ink 6d.
Pixie and Paul went to see "The Three Comerades" at the Plaza in evening.
Ma and Betty went house hunting down Green Point way.
Betty and I fetched coal etc at Fish's in pm.

Monday August 8th
Stayed to lunch at work and weighed out tea.
Saw Voortrekker business.
Played a set of table tennis after work and lost to Rowan.
Heard that I have to go to Confirmation on Tuesdays at 8pm.

Tuesday August 9th
Went to first confirmation class at St Albans in evening. Ma and Betty walked down with me.
(Every Tuesday after that for a long while he went to confirmation)
Drove the car down to Stevens before work and fetched it in pm. He drove me there and back.

Monday August 29th
Stayed and had lunch at work.
Ma went and fetched Aunt Julia after the Aunt's had moved out.
Listened to Murdo MacDonald in evening and he mentioned Uncle Walter as being the first South African to command a Mail liner.

Thursday September 1st
Stayed and played Table Tennis with Impey at lunch time. Beat him 9 out of 10.
Had a hair cut after work.
Ma and Betty and I went and looked at house on Main Rd after supper.
Pixie and I went to see Errol Flynn and Olivia de Haviland in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" at the Colosseum in evening by car.
Heard that we are starting at 8:30 and finishing at 4:30 as from Oct 1st.

Friday September 9th
Stayed and had lunch at work.
JH Hofmeyer resifned from Parliament (Fourie)

Saturday August 10th
Britian issued ultimatum to Germany.
Paul got new coat etc.
Britian 21 South Africa 16. Rugby.Friday September 16th

Friday September 16th
Came home to lunch.
Auntie went out in pm.
Blew the fuse with the toaster.
Pixie and Paul went to see "Lord Jeff" at Plaza in evening.
Shorthand 11wpm
Typing 16 wpm

Friday September 23rd
DADDY'S BIRTHDAY
Stayed and had lunch at work.
Stayed and played ping-pong after work. Beat Rowan 2. Lost to Rowan 2, Haupt 2.
Don came in evening and we played ping-pong.
Ma and Pixie went to see house in Tamboers Kloof in evening.

Saturday September 24th
Ma and Pixie went to Lily's in pm
Pixie and Betty went with Paul by car to Philippa's (my mother) 21st birthday pary at Dorothy's Studio.

Monday September 26th
AUNT ETHEL'S BIRTHDAY (his aunt, my mother's mother)
Stayed and had lunch at work.
Pixie had holiday.
Ma went to Aunt Ethel's (her sister) birthday and saw house into which we are moving on Saturday.
Ma Pixie and Paul went to Kowolsky's party in evening.
Hitler spoke in evening.

Saturday October 1st
Packed everything up and Betty, Pixie and I came over to new house and Pixie went back.
L Kriel moved us over to 35 Carstens Street and finished about 9pm.

Tuesday October 4th
Had a hair cut at lunch time.
Saw Bezarius.
Got out at 4:30 and went to cricket meeting at 4:45
Did not have to go to Confirmation and listened to "The Saint"
Rex was lost and Pixie and I went to look for him and found him at "Landford Lawn" with Robbs.

Saturday October 8th
Mr Coke left on Arundel for his holiday.
Philippa, Betty and I went to see "The Mercury" (flying boat) in the new basin at 5pm.
Betty did jig-saw puzzle in evening.

Monday October 17th
WILLIAM'S WEDDING DAY (my mother's sister Marjorie, my father's cousin, was William's bride)
Ma Pixie and Betty went to Bronta for Marjorie's wedding reception at 11am.
Stayed at work and had lunch at work.
Wrote for missing vouchers.

Tuesday October 18th
Bought lunch and wwalked around town.
Hogg came and helped all day.
Went to confirmation class in evening.
Saw first new trolley bus.

Tuesday November 1st
Came home to lunch
Aunt Ethel and family moved out of Bronta to Blamey by Kriel.
Went to confirmation class in evening.

Saturday November 5th
MY BIRTHDAY (17th)
Wore my new suit for first time.
Hamilton and I went by car to cricket and he went and had a swim.
Scored 0. Took 2 for 5. UC 2nd 129 Jaggers 34 won by 134 runs.
Played table tennis in evening.
Hamilton gave me mouth organ. Aunt Julia gave me 5/-

Friday November 25th
Stayed and had lunch at work.
Went and got my cricket boots at Jaggers in pm and took them to Oaksoles for hob nails to be put in.
Hamilton went out in evening.

Sunday December 11th
Ham, Paul and I played cricket in am.
Had shooting competition.
We all went for swim at Strandfontein and dropped Paul on way home.
The Thorlunds arrived at 6pm from Johannesburg.
Went to Church in evening and was confirmed by Bishop Lavis. The family, Thorlunds, and Ham came to service. We all went for drive to Camps Bay, Kloof Nek etc afterwards.

Sunday December 25th
Presents: Shaving set (family) Scarf (Ham) Wallet (Eric) Handkerchiefs (Aunt Julia and Joan) Pitman's Journal (Mrs Thorlund.)
Joan and I went in their car to play at Jewish wedding at Alphen in pm.
Mrs Thorlund, Joan and I went for drive in their car to Constantia Nek, Hout Bay, Marine Drive and picked up Hamilton at Sea Point at 6pm. Drove 30 miles.
Played cricket in pm and Paul nearly broke window.
Pixie felt sick in pm and evening.
Ma Betty, Mrs T and I went for drive to Sea Point in evening.

At the end of the entry of Saturday December 31st...
THE END. underlined.

Best Shows 1938
Test Pilot
A Slight Case of Murder
A Yank at Oxford
One Hundred Men and a Girl
Three Loves his Nancy
Too Hot to Handle
The Adventures of Robin Hood
26 movies seen in 1938

Best Books Read in 1938
The Freak of St Freda's
The Man in the Stone House
The Double
28 books read in 1938

The end of the first year of his working life of many years.